Mantra. A means to stillness.

Stillness. What does it mean to you? 

Stillness is a peaceful place and gets me out of my head and into the present moment. Sounds lovely doesn't? But stillness isn't always easy to achieve, trust me I'm a fidget. Connecting my breath to movement is a great moving meditation, and over the last few months, building mantra into my daily practice helps me achieve (some semblance of) stillness. I chant in the car, in my bed, running or while I wash the dishes. 

My mantra meditation is largely Sanskrit. There is an intent and I like the sound of the chant and its effect on my body. In particular, I chant in honor and recognition of my Divine Self, that part of me that's beautiful and unique, my authentic self. Om Namaya Shivaya! I chant Guru Om to honor my teachers as well as the teacher inside, otherwise known as my gut feeling or intuition. 

Other mantras are words of encouragement, when I'm running or riding up a hill I chant "I am strong! I am beautiful!' Or if the mental chatter is bothersome, I chant Let go. With an inhale I say let and with the exhale I say go. Completing malas is not mandatory for a mantra practice, make it your own. A few moments to chant (or even just to breathe) is all it takes maintain a place of stillness.

Mantra is etymologically and culturally Sanskrit and unsurprisingly the world's ancestors were on to a good thing. The underpinnings of mantra are also the basis for vibration therapy in that all matter vibrates at the same frequency and using resonant vibration brings matter back into balance. This is undoubtedly an oversimplification of vibration theory and mantra but I can't deny the sensations and emotions that often accompany my practice. 

If your curious to learn more about mantra meditation consider this upcoming workshop Mantra Meditation at Samadhi Yoga and Wellness Centre. 

Stop thinking, and end your problems. - Laozi

I'm a thinker. There's no doubt about that, which is why the following quote resonates with me.

"Every once in a while, when we catch ourselves running with a train of thought, we should stop and consider how we got there, what triggered the thought , and whether it’s worth staying with it. [Thought as a Sense]

As an academic it was my job and pleasure to think critically. But there is a BIG difference between thinking critically and over thinking. Despite the voice above the cacophony of mental chatter, telling me to chill out, breathe, let go, intense emotions of my passionate idealism often get the better of me and exacerbate a vicious thinking cycle.

“I think and think and think, I‘ve thought myself out of happiness one million times, but never once into it.”  - Jonathan Safran Foer

Yoga and meditation are my salvation. Connecting with the breath and developing an awareness around sensation and emotion is about tuning into our intuition and listening to what our body is telling us. As part of a greater whole, we are infinitely wise and this collective wisdom is not found in politics, academia or even popular religious dogma. Of course, in reality, my over analytical brain often responds with "what is that feeling?" "what does it mean?" "why am I feeling this?"; and my superhero grip on attachments, especially the kind that doesn't serve me (are there any other kind?) keeps me stuck everywhere but the present moment.

Calming the mind and shifting from a "thinking place" to a "feeling place" is most definitely easier said than done, but it's all about the journey. And what a wild journey it is as I continually return and follow my breath wherever it may take me.

Happy mindful, travels!
Namaste
Nancy-Anne

somewhere on this journey...

Since my last entry, there was and continues to be a lot of learning and growing. The catalyzing lesson of 2013 was the power of authenticity. Of being yourself and of being present. The more time I spend in the moment, the more focused and confident I feel. And often the results are profound.When you live from one breath to another you create the space for things to happen as they are meant to, and the results are mind blowing. Of course this is much easier said than done and I'm always reminding myself that it's part of my journey.

The first step to realizing my authenticity was overcoming my fear of judgement and failure. Deep down I know these fears are unfounded and silly conquering these fears is not easy. The ego is a powerful beast but your breath is more powerful.

When I connect with my breath, I'm gifted with a personal connection, sensation or something more tangible. At this point in my journey it's hard to articulate the reward but at the very least it's a renewed sense of confidence, an inkling of my potential. The icing on the cake? Everybody has their own fears and obstacles which they need to overcome. You aren't alone. And when we take the time to breath and hang out in the moment while practicing yoga or meditation you will not be disappointed.

 So simply, slow down and see where your breath takes you.



“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” 
― C.G. Jung

“Live authentically. Why would you continue to compromise something that's beautiful to create something that is fake?” 
― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

peaceful mind, open heart

Yoga evolved from an ancient meditation heritage with origins in venerable Brahman texts called Vedas. As Brahmanism evolved into modern day Hinduism, revelations and teachings from the Upanishads defined yoga as a means of achieving liberation from suffering. Modern relics from these texts are found in karma (action or ritual) and jnana (wisdom and knowledge) yoga, as well as the practice of connecting the breath and mind with the symbol om.  The most recent, influential text is Patanjali's Yoga Sutras (100-500 B.C.E.) which comprises 196 aphorisms (basic tenets or ideologies) and details an eight-fold path (or 8 limbs) of yoga.  

www.yogalifestudios.ca

The different limbs of Patanjali's yoga are yamas (ethical disciplines), niyamas (observances), asana (classic poses), pranayama (breath work), pratyahara (withdrawl from the senses), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation) and samadhi (complete surrender to the Absolute). The five yamas transcend race, country, age and time and include ahimsa - non-harming or non-violence, satya  - truthfulness, asteya - non-stealing, brahmacharya - moderation and aparigraha - non-coveting. The five niyamas are saucha - purification of our body and mind, santosha - contentment and detachment, tapas - austerity and self-discipline, swadhyaya - self study and ishwara prandihana - dedication or surrender to the higher Self (Absolute) and letting go of the ego (self).            

omtrekker.wordpress.com

Do not be overwhelmed by the seemingly impossible path outlined by Patanjali. Remember the importance and value of intention and honor that. I view the yamas and niyamas as qualities of an ideal role model. Depending on the day and even the moment, some of these qualities are easier to cultivate than others  As an avid reader who loves knowledge, swadhyaya is relatively effortless. On the other hand, my humanity (and addiction to chocolate) represents a formidable obstacle to brahmacharya. Ahimsa is a non-harming, violence-free doctrine applicable to our relationships with people, nature and ourselves. Loving who and what we are without self-deprecation, self-criticism and self-hatred is ahimsa, and by far one of the more challenging disciplines.


Asana and pranayama constitute most modern styles of yoga, thereby honoring the ancient practice of mindfulness by connecting the conscious (asana) with the

ahimsatrust.org

subconscious (pranayama). Although the limbs of yoga are intertwined, the remaining four limbs follow a logical sequence. For example, in order to surrender to the Absolute (samadhi), we need to master the art of meditation (dhyana), which in part emerges from our ability to concentrate or remain steadfast (dharana). As yogis, we develop our ability to concentrate by withdrawing from our senses (pratyahara), quieting our minds, and letting go of that which doesn't serve us.

The evolution of modern yoga is entrenched in an ancient history, and philosophical ideology which can't be summarized in a single blog entry. To truly appreciate its depth, beauty and authenticity, as well as to discover how and what resonates with you, a more thorough exploration of yoga's history and philosophy is necessary.


Books are infinite in number and time is short, therefore the secret to knowledge is to take only what is essential. Take what is essential and try to live up to it. - Sri Swami Vivekananda

How do you embrace the eight limbs of yoga?
Enjoy your exploration!

Namaste













Sources
Carrera, J. Rev. 2006. Inside the Yoga Sutras. Integral Yoga Publications, Buckingham, VA.

Iyengar, B.K.S., 2001. Light on Yoga. Thorsons, Hammersmith, London.

Jois, P.K., Yoga Mala. North Point Press, New York, NY.

Sparrow, L., 2008. Yoga. A Yoga Journal Book, Universe Publishing, Berkley, California.